| As traders, explorers, and military men pushed further into the Great Plains region beginning in the 1830's, the Plains Indians were exposed to a new medium for their drawings- the ledger book. Lasting for almost 70 years, ledger art was a transitional medium that mirrored the changes in Plains Indians life at that time, depicting acts of warfare and courtship. Women with beautifully decorated umbrellas (or parasols) appeared in several drawings and inspired this sculpture. The word "parasol" was derived from the Latin words "papare", which means to prepare, and "sol", which means sun. The word "umbrella" is derived from the Latin word "umbra", meaning shadow, with "umbrella" being a poetic word form meaning "little shadow." |
